Change for Me?
by Starsabove0oru
Summary: Naruto, the enigmatic altruist and Sasuke, the remorseless heartbreaker, are like two different puzzle pieces that fit together. Clearly, they have some changing to do. Will they change for each other, for love's sake? AU, SasuNaru.
1. Prologue

**Hi!!! Well I was inspired to write this because my friend was having issues, because others kept saying this person she likes sleeps around with everyone. So I told her, if someone really cares about you, then they'll change the way they act. And I thought to myself, wouldn't it be something if I wrote a story where Sasuke is a player and only changes his ways for Naruto? Hahaha, so here it is! Enjoy!!! Thanks for reading!**

**Summary: Naruto, the altruist and Sasuke, the heartbreaker are like two different puzzle pieces that manage to fit together. However, they both have some changing to do. Will Sasuke realize how much Naruto means to him? Or will he continue his promiscuous lifestyle until he drives Naruto away? Will Naruto realize he doesn't have to face life alone? Or will he continue to battle his inner demons until they conquer him? Will they change for each other, for love's sake? AU, SasuNaru.  
**

**Of course I don't own Naruto.  
**

**

* * *

**

Those who are in love act in mysterious ways. People are people and each individual behaves in a way that is almost always specific to them. While personalities are not stable, there are certain patterns that can be seen in other people, if watched closely enough. And as is obviously known, some behaviors are more taboo than others. Some people indulge in unhealthy deeds and to others… it seems as if these people will always be this way. But this is not true.

Imagine two people deeply in love. Their souls have been intertwined, their lives rewritten, their minds aligned. However, one is addicted to nicotine and the other is an asthmatic. What will the smoker do? The smoker will cast away the cigarettes and change, in order to accommodate the asthmatic. If not, the smoker will become detrimental to the asthmatic. Therefore, the smoker will become a different individual with whom the asthmatic can exist comfortably with. After all, isn't love worth it? And if this asthmatic is not the smoker's soul mate, then there would be no reason to change in the first place. For you see, some types of change can only be motivated by true love...

* * *

Uchiha Sasuke is a manipulative, immoral player. He gave up on love at the tender age of seven, after his parents were murdered and as a result, is emotionless and uncaring. To him, the human body (be it male or female) is something to be used until he has tired of it. He acquires whatever he wants with ease: money, sex, fame, possessions, employment, etc. There is nowhere he cannot go, nothing he cannot say… the life of an Uchiha is full of endless opportunity. As he grew older, he realized that was something missing in his life. And because there was a void in his life, Sasuke eventually turned to the dilapidation of his body. He began to use his charm and good looks to seduce anyone who caught his eye. And for years, his skills of seduction worked on everyone.

Enter Uzumaki Naruto, an altruistic, righteous protector. Love is the most important thing in the world to him, especially since his Godfather told him how much his deceased parents loved him. He cherishes and defends those around him and will willingly sacrifice himself for those he cares about. His life has never been easy, but his determination, resilience, and heart help him rise up to face any challenge. However, as the blonde aged, he noticed something. While he would give anything and everything to anyone that asked, not everyone would do the same for him. He had dedicated years of his life to helping the world… but the world would not reciprocate. This did not change his generous behavior, but on the inside, Naruto wanted someone to give themselves fully to him.

* * *

**Change for Me?**

**

* * *

**

Naruto was trying to enjoy his first few days of summer. He would have fallen asleep, lying in the grass. But he wasn't stupid. Konohamaru was being too quiet. So he sat up and saw Konohamaru standing next to their house. The patio was covered with blotches of paint and there was a huge, purple spot on the house itself.

"Konohamaru!!!!! What are you doing?" Naruto shrieked loudly.

"What does it look like, blondie? I'm painting a mural!" Konohamaru retorted.

"You little delinquent… wash that paint off right now!!!" Naruto growled.

"Aw, c'mon Naruto… I could draw a pretty picture of a sun or a waterfall. Or a monkey's ass… whichever you prefer." Konohamaru grinned cheekily and Naruto inwardly groaned. The blonde saw so much of himself in the brunette it was disturbing. But still, he didn't want a monkey's ass on the side of his house. So he had to play the part of the angry, authoritarian father.

"KONOHAMARUUUUUUUU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Naruto shouted angrily, blue eyes narrowing at the boy.

"I know, I know… language." Konohamaru rolled his eyes. "I'll go get another bucket to wash off the paint." And with that, the fourteen-year-old boy strolled off inside the house, leaving Naruto to sigh loudly to himself.

Despite the fact that he was twenty-one, Naruto was actually Konohamaru's legal guardian. Old age had finally taken Sarutobi Hizuren seven months ago and the deceased mayor had actually left Konohamaru in Naruto's care. At first, no one would go against his word. And honestly, no one else probably wanted the responsibility. But, being Konohamaru's guardian did have its perks, as the blonde discovered. Naruto, in addition, also inherited Sarutobi's house… and quite a bit of money. And of course, once the gold diggers had found out about this, suddenly everyone wanted to be Konohamaru's friend. In fact, the only person that didn't try to manipulate the boy was his own uncle, Asuma.

Asuma quickly ended the "Try to Adopt Konohamaru" trend by making a televised statement about how he was the boy's only living relative and he fully respected his dead father's wishes and if anyone tried to take him away from Naruto there would be serious repercussions. And the two strangely similar males had been left alone ever since.

Naruto was still standing by the side of his house, shaking his head, when he noticed something happening next door. The house next to him had been on sale for the longest time. But now there was a sleek, black car in the driveway. The blonde had always been a curious person, so he strolled over the grass until he reached the car.

_Tinted windows…_ Naruto leaned in close, pressing his face to the car. _Doesn't look like there's anyone inside… _The blonde slowly began to lean away, placing his hand on the car door. A shrill, unfamiliar noise invaded his ears and Naruto instantly leapt away from the car, hands over his ears.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" A cold, low voice asked and Naruto whirled around in shock. The owner of the voice (and most likely, the car) was standing before him, looking extremely pissed off. He was tall, dark, and handsome. Completely cliché, but yet completely true at the same time. Although his hair wasn't cliché at all, Naruto had never seen the back of someone's hair spike up like that.

"Er… well I noticed the car and I wanted to know if anyone was inside. I didn't mean to set off the alarm. Sorry about that." Naruto grinned sheepishly, his eyes roaming over his possible new neighbor. Bluish black hair, eyes as dark as the night, and skin as pale as the moon. This man was beautiful. But Naruto knew people and understood them. He knew that beauty came at a price. And what was this man's price?

"Hn." The dark man uttered in response, taking jingling keys out of his pocket and pressing a button on the biggest key. The alarm instantly turned off, to Naruto's relief.

Naruto kept waiting for the male to say something else… but he didn't say a single thing. Frowning slightly, the blonde cocked his head to one side and proceeded to stare intently at the source of his befuddlement. Until Konohamaru came crashing out of the house, carrying a bucket full of warm water.

"NARUTO!!!!!!!!!!!! Come help me wash the house!!!" Konohamaru bellowed as loudly as he could, causing the raven-haired male to stiffen slightly. Naruto snorted at the male's reaction, but turned his attention to his ward.

"Do it yourself you brat! You're the one who painted the house without my permission!!!" Naruto screeched back just as noisily. Mr. Tall-Dark-and-Handsome didn't like racket, apparently. The man was stalking back up the driveway. "Hey wait… what's your name? Are you moving in?"

The man spun around and glared at Naruto coldly. "Uchiha Sasuke. Yes, I am moving in. And I would appreciate if you kept the noise level down. Not all of us enjoy carrying on like rabid baboons." Sasuke continued to glower at Naruto, who was extremely pissed off by the raven's words.

"Then you moved into the wrong fucking house, teme!!!!" Naruto replied angrily. _What is his deal?_ "I'll be just as loud as I want!" And with that, the blonde stomped over to his property without looking back once. If he had looked back, he would have seen the temporary shock on Sasuke's face.

Naruto scowled as he neared Konohamaru. The brunette studied him cautiously. "What's wrong?" Konohamaru inquired. "Why were you yelling at that guy before?"

"Because he's an asshole!" Naruto threw his hands in the air furiously. "Wash the paint off!" He saw Konohamaru flinch at his tone and immediately felt guilty. "And if you hurry up, we'll go get some ice cream."

"Really?" Konohamaru grinned hopefully.

"Really, really." Naruto imitated Shrek, one of their favorite movies. Maybe they would watch it tonight. It would certainly alleviate his mood.

"Sweet!!" Konohamaru snatched up the sponge that was on the ground and got to work. Naruto opened the screen door and smiled fondly at his kid, who was already engrossed in his work. Well biologically, Konohamaru wasn't his… but legally and emotionally, Konohamaru had been his relative for a long time. The two orphans had practically grown up together and they were brothers, in a way.

The blonde stepped into his house and shut the door. He walked into the living room, where there were pictures everywhere. He stopped to look at one of his favorites and picked it up. Sarutobi had his arm around a scowling Konohamaru, a twinkle in his aged eyes, Jiraiya was reading one his porn novels and consequently, had the widest smile on his face, and Naruto was laughing joyously, because he was with the people he cherished most. Yes, Naruto had a good life, but he didn't know it was about to get even _better_.**

* * *

**

**And that's it for now! If you noticed any mistakes, please bring them to my attention. Should I continue? Did you like it? Dislike it?  
**


	2. Chapter 1

**Hi!!! Here is Chapter 1! This is a bit longer than the first. I guess that was the Prologue. But thank you so much for reading, reviewing, subscribing, and/or favoriting my story! You guys are the best! :) Enjoy!!!!  
**

**

* * *

**

**CHAPTER ONE:**

**STOLEN KISSES AND SPEED LIMITS

* * *

**

Two weeks later, Naruto was outside lying in the grass again. It was a perfect, sunny day. Konohamaru was at the mall with his best friends: Moegi and Udon. The blonde stared up at the puffy, white clouds and smiled. He was acting like Shikamaru, but he couldn't help it. He missed the lazy bum.

Shika was one of his best friends, who coincidentally, was dating the older sister of another of the blonde's best friends. And consequently, the lethargic genius had been roped into spending an entire month in Sunaga. Naruto would have gone with him, because it would've been fun to tease Temari and spend time with Gaara. But of course, he had to think of Konohamaru's needs, too. So he would not be going to Sunaga this summer and if he did, it would only be for a short amount of time. Shika was not only a boyfriend, but a future Godfather. Konohamaru's uncle, Asuma was expecting his wife to give birth in late July/early August. And Konohamaru was ecstatic about getting a baby cousin.

_Maybe I could get Gaara to come here…_ Then Naruto scowled. Gaara was the mayor of Sunaga; he couldn't just leave for lengthy vacations. Well, he could, but the stoic redhead usually put his duties first. _I bet Lee could convince him to come._ Gaara and Naruto were close friends… and blonde just knew that Gaara had a thing for Lee. Of course, the latter had no idea at all. Naruto chuckled out loud.

Naruto stood up, stretching his arms and legs. He looked over to his left and froze in surprise. Uchiha Sasuke was sitting outside his home in a rather comfortable-looking chair, shades donned on his face, reading a book. _When did he come out here? I didn't even notice… _The blonde shrugged it off and made his way over to the Uchiha.

"Hi, Uchiha-san!" Naruto grinned as he finally reached the raven. He tried to read the title of the book the male was reading, but he couldn't tell from the glare of the sun. "Whatcha reading?" Sasuke didn't reply… and actually turned the page and kept on reading. Naruto scowled and crossed his arms over his chest. "Hey! You can't ignore me!"

"Why not?" Sasuke answered. His voice was full of arrogance. And it pissed Naruto off. Why was the new guy such a jerk? Who the hell stuck the North Pole up his ass?!?

"It's rude, _teme_, to ignore people. Didn't your Mother ever teach you manners?" Naruto shook his head in disbelief.

"My mother's dead." Sasuke replied frigidly, as if this explained everything.

"My mother's dead, too, and you don't see me using it as an excuse to be rude!" Naruto answered him before he could stop himself. _Shit… why did I say that?_

Sasuke was silent and Naruto was sure the raven was about to mutilate him. Then, Sasuke did something unexpected. He took his shades off, revealing his black eyes… and began to stare at Naruto. He wasn't glaring… just staring. And Naruto stared back. It was as if they were both caught in some kind of weird trance.

"Yo, Sasuke! Are we gonna fuck or n-" A male with short, black hair pranced out of the screen door of Sasuke's house, ruining the moment. "Who's the blonde beauty?" Naruto instantly stiffened, a blush coloring his tanned cheeks. "Aw, shy, are we?"

"Excuse me?" Naruto sputtered out, backing away from the newcomer. The male was even paler than Sasuke… which he didn't think was humanly possible. Therefore, this man had to be a vampire. The "vampire" was wearing a black belly shirt and tight jeans that rode low on his hips. He was skinny and short, but had an air of maturity about him.

"Sai, go inside." Sasuke stood up, closing his book. The vampire, Sai, shrugged and went back inside, but not before winking slyly at Naruto.

"Who the hell was that?" Naruto asked as soon as Sai was gone.

"Nobody." Sasuke responded curtly.

"Bullshit. Was he a… gigolo?!?" Naruto squealed loudly. He knew it! He had just seen his first male prostitute. The blonde inwardly cringed. _I thought prostitutes were supposed to be more attractive and less creepy… _

"Dobe. He is not a gigolo." Sasuke snorted, shaking his head.

"Don't call me that, teme!!" Naruto shouted back, stamping his foot on the ground. "And if he's not a gigolo, then who is he? Your boyfriend?"

"He's an easy fuck. That's all he is to me." Sasuke informed Naruto, who cringed at his detached tone. When the blonde didn't reply at first, Sasuke folded his chair up and began walking back to his house.

"How can you _say_ something like that?" Naruto whispered out, halting Sasuke in his tracks. The raven slowly turned around, studying the blonde carefully. "Why doesn't he mean more to you?"

"No one means anything to me. Why should he be any different?" Sasuke narrowed his obsidian eyes at Naruto.

"He's giving his body to you! That should count for something!" Naruto shouted back. He didn't know why he was getting so emotional. And while he usually stuck up for people he didn't know, his actions still confused him a bit. Naruto was no stranger to fighting for others… but he always did it for them. But with Sasuke… something else inside of him was motivating him to say these things. And Naruto didn't know what.

"You're foolish if you think sex is a reason to care about someone." Sasuke snorted, wondering why he wasn't being as cruel as he usually was to those that opposed him.

"Sex without caring isn't sex at all." Naruto glared at Sasuke. "I'm not foolish!"

"Hn." Clearly, Sasuke thought differently. "Are you done lecturing me?"

_I… I don't know what to say. But I know that I don't want him to leave, not until I get my point across._ Naruto took a deep breath and opened his mouth. Then it stayed open as Sasuke rapidly strode over to him, until he was too close, way too close. The blonde gawked up at the Uchiha in awe. _He smells good…_

Sasuke smirked down at Naruto and gently grabbed onto the blonde's chin, pulling Naruto's face towards his. Before Naruto knew what was happening, Sasuke's lips were on his and his brain went to mush. The last thing Naruto noticed before he closed his eyes was how blue the sky was. He felt like he was floating and could feel himself rising up to Sasuke, trying to be closer to the raven.

Sasuke broke the kiss as soon as he started it, releasing the blonde's chin and stepping away from him. But Naruto grabbed onto his T-shirt and Sasuke froze. "Why… why did you do that?" Naruto stared up into Sasuke's eyes and the raven was speechless. He got lost in Naruto's blue, earnest eyes. He couldn't do this… and the mask came back.

"So you would shut up." Sasuke put on his trademark smirk, despite the fact that on the inside, he wanted to take Naruto right there. But he couldn't… and he couldn't stand that look in the blonde's eyes. And his clearly, his words worked, because Naruto looked pissed off instead of starry-eyed. It was much easier to deal with.

"What the hell is wrong with you?!?" Naruto wiped his lips, glaring at the Uchiha. "I'm not gay, teme!"

Sasuke loved a challenge. The ones who tried to resist his lure always ended up failing. And so, his new mission began: He would most certainly bed the "blonde beauty", as Sai had most aptly put it. And he knew exactly how to play and coax the blonde. It would be easy. He would seduce the blonde, fuck him, and then move on with his life. He did the same thing with everyone else he had ever been interested in.

So Sasuke leaned in close to Naruto until his lips were right next to the blonde's ear. "We'll see about that." He whispered cunningly, making Naruto shiver. And with that, the Uchiha spun around and walked back into his house, leaving Naruto standing there.

* * *

Naruto did what he always did when he was confused: he called Gaara. The blonde was pacing around his living room, cell phone in his hand. He quickly called Gaara's office. The phone rang a few times, and then someone picked up.

"Hi, you've reached Sabaku Gaara's office, Matsuri speaking." Naruto could picture the young brunette sitting at her desk. To put it frankly, Matsuri was to Gaara what Konohamaru was to Naruto. She was extremely devoted to him and he was extremely protective of her. They were quite the unlikely duo.

"Hey, Matsuri-chan! Can I speak to Gaara for a second?" Naruto grinned widely. It was good to hear a refreshing voice like Matsuri's.

"Oh, Naruto-kun! Of course, hold on!" Matsuri replied happily and the blonde heard a click. Then he heard some static and finally, another click.

"Naruto." Naruto couldn't hold back the soothing feeling that ironically came from hearing Gaara's stoic voice.

"Gaara! Hey-" Naruto began anxiously.

"Do I need to kill anyone?" Gaara instantly interrupted. The redhead could tell something was wrong with Naruto; he knew the blonde.

"No, no… no killing today." Naruto laughed sheepishly. "It's just… this guy moved in next door to me. Uh… Uchiha Sasuke. And he's just… Gaara, he fucking kissed me for no reason! And I told him 'I'm not gay!' and he said 'We'll see about that.' Gaara, what am I supposed to do? What the hell is wrong with him?!?"

"Stay away from the Uchiha." Gaara's voice was laced with venom. "Naruto, I know you like to help others. But some people can't be helped. The Uchiha will fuck anything that moves. He throws people away as if they are garbage. He has no respect for other human beings. Naruto… it's best for you to move on."

"B-but he lives next door to me! I can't just act like it never happened!" Naruto protested, a blush covering his cheeks. "And how do you know so much about him?"

"… Uchiha Sasuke is the son of Uchiha Fugaku, the former Police Commissioner of Konoha. He comes from a family of wealthy politicians. His Mother and Father were brutally murdered when he was a child and his brother, the only suspect, mysteriously vanished the night of the homicide. The Uchiha was plunged into darkness… and has chosen to stay there. It is not your job to bring him out. Leave him be." Gaara answered.

"So you're saying if it seems like he's interesting, it really means nothing. He just wants to screw me." Naruto replied, sounding defeated.

"I am sorry, Naruto. People like him do not change. Do not make an effort to get close to him." Gaara inwardly sighed. He could tell how upset the blonde was.

"Okay…" Naruto didn't know what else to say. He didn't understand why he felt so crushed by Gaara's words. And besides, what the hell did he care anyway? He wasn't gay and he had never been attracted to a man before. He was just upset because he wasn't used to giving up on someone so easily, so soon. That had to be it. "Well, I don't want to keep you busy. I'll talk to you later, Gaara. And thanks." Without waiting for the redhead to reply, he hung up the phone and plopped down onto the floor.

_Why do I feel so bad?_ Naruto groaned, hands in his golden hair. _I can't stay on the ground all day. This is ridiculous! It was just a kiss._ The blonde rose up to his feet and turned the TV on. Beautiful scenery, fake laughter, and scripted lines filled the living room. Naruto scurried into the kitchen to fix some ramen. Everything would be okay.

* * *

"Mmm… you were better than usual, Sasuke." Sai grinned as Sasuke began putting his clothes back on. The raven didn't even spare him with a glance; he was lost in his own world. "Something on your mind?" Sai rolled over onto his stomach, leering lazily. The two were in Sasuke's room. There were no posters, no pictures, nothing very decorative. Just dark blues everywhere: the curtains, the carpet, the comforter, and the pillow cases.

"I'm leaving. And when I get back, you'd better be gone." Sasuke finished buttoning up his navy blue shirt. He didn't have time for Sai's games today. Sai pouted at first, but then he decided to bring up the blonde Sasuke had been talking to. He knew that would get the Uchiha riled up. And he loved pissing Sasuke off; the raven was a better fuck when he was angry.

"That's okay… if I get lonely I could always pay your neighbor a quick visit." Sai chuckled, his dark eyes full of mirth. "I'll bet he's rather _vocal_ in bed. You see, I haven't topped in a while, what with fucking you all the time. I'd love to see him writhing under me, begging for-" The paler of the two broke off as Sasuke stalked over to the side of the bed and grabbed onto Sai by the neck.

"Stay _away_ from him." Sasuke spat out maliciously. "Get your clothes on… and get the fuck out." The raven let go of Sai's neck abruptly and walked out of the room, leaving Sai to stare into space, fingers rubbing his neck.

_I've never seen him that angry… and I didn't even get sex out of it. Who the hell is that blonde?_ Sai scowled to himself. He had some research to do.

* * *

A lone, black Lamborghini Murcielago zoomed down the highway, passing cars, buses, and trucks effortlessly. Most vehicles on the road wondered where the person inside was going. The sleek car had to be going at least 90 mph. And it was leaving all of them in the dust. The Lamborghini even soared past a cop car, but the cop inside was talking on a phone and therefore, didn't notice that the car was rupturing the speed limit.

Driving this fast was rather reckless, but it helped Sasuke relax. Some people liked to listen to waves. Sasuke liked to soar down highways. The tumultuous roar of the revving engine, the soft feeling of the wheel beneath his fingertips, the sweet rumbles of acceleration, it all soothed him. He could drive for hours and hours and never tire of it. It was just him and the road and his car.

"You've seen almost every road in this God-forsaken country, right, Chidori?" No, it wasn't lame that Sasuke named his Lamborghini. He surely paid enough for it, more than anyone would pay for a fluffy pet. And cars were much more reliable and easier to manage than pets. And people. If cars could talk, Sasuke would be in deep shit, because he had revealed so much of himself inside the sweet machine, much more than he would ever reveal to an actual person.

Sasuke didn't know when, but somewhere along the line, driving had become sort of a therapy to him. If the emotions Sasuke allowed himself to feel became too overwhelming, he simply drove them all away (literally and figuratively). And that was what he was doing now. Driving away his feelings, zooming down the black, smooth pavement, flying past all the pathetic people who wouldn't dare go more than 10 mph over the speed limit. A limit was only a mere boundary, a fence that could be easily hopped if one only had the courage (in this case, to press down harder on the gas pedal).

Limits and boundaries were made for people who weren't competent enough to break through cages or jump over fences. But Sasuke was an Uchiha and an Uchiha always exceeded expectations. The sky wasn't even the limit for an Uchiha and an Uchiha's capabilities were limitless. Or at least, that was what his Father had always told him, had always drilled into his skull. But clearly, immortality was not in the range of an Uchiha's capabilities. That was the one thing Fugaku had failed to tell his seven-year-old son. Unfortunately, that was a lesson Sasuke had learned on his own.

Sasuke let out a small sigh as he realized that he had driven fifty miles to nowhere. He needed to turn around eventually; he had to work the next day. But although he felt better about losing his temper in front of Sai, the blonde was still on his mind. He couldn't get those blue eyes out his head. They were haunting him and the raven didn't know why. It seemed as though Naruto could not be driven out of his mind just yet.

After stealing a quick look in the rearview mirror, Sasuke rapidly spun his car to the left, sped over the grassy median, and began driving on the other side of the highway. It was time to go home. He hoped that Sai was gone; the pervert was getting on his nerves.

* * *

Naruto was lying on the couch, still watching TV when Konohamaru burst through the front door excitedly. "Naruto!!! You wouldn't believe what happened at the mall!" The happy brunette dashed into the room, carrying five bags with him.

"What happened?" Naruto sat up instantly, a grin adorning his features. Konohamaru sat down and immediately began his story. The blonde was inwardly relieved… he wasn't alone in the house anymore. Thank goodness for Konohamaru.

**

* * *

Haha and there it is!!! How was it? Good? Bad? Any mistakes?  
**


	3. Chapter 2

**Hey!! So here's Chapter 2!! I don't own the lyrics or the title used in this chapter. They're from "Chasing Pavements" by Adele. I love that song!!! On a side note lol I watched the movie Australia with my Mom 2 nights ago. LOVED IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I firmly believe that everyone should go and rent it or watch it illegally or buy it... whatever works for you haha. Anyways, enjoy the chapter! Thanks for reading!!!!**

* * *

**CHAPTER TWO:**

**CHASING PAVEMENTS

* * *

**

The following day, Naruto was just as confused. After hours of contemplation, the blonde had come to several conclusions. Gaara's warning had made him feel horrible. He wanted to be near the asshole, he couldn't deny that. But at the same time, he was afraid, afraid of being around the raven that he was undeniably attracted to. Why did everything have to be so damned complicated? It made him want to scream and punch things and then scream some more until his vocal chords ruptured.

It would make sense to stay away from the Uchiha. He didn't see the value in other people, even his own male partner. He had submerged himself into decadence. So what good would come of approaching him? The raven was nothing but trouble and Naruto had lived his life just fine without the dark man.

And yet, and yet, there was something in his eyes. There was understanding, in that odd moment that they had shared. They were both orphans, both understood the pain and the loneliness and the fear it brought. They both understood the sadness of not having parents to raise them up, a mother to wipe tears away and a father to seek approval from. It wasn't that Naruto hadn't turned out right, he loved Jiraiya, but… he just wished he knew his parents. And somehow, he could tell that Sasuke would be able to relate to his feelings, despite him never saying anything.

Naruto had never had that kind of connection with anyone. They _had _connected yesterday. The blonde knew it and could still feel stark, black eyes boring into him. He wondered if Sasuke even remembered the kiss they shared, the kiss that had been on his mind for hours. But kisses were dangerous… they lead to _other_ things.

"Well, then, I'll just have to make it clear to him. We can be friends, but that's it." Naruto stated resolutely. That would be best. He would firmly tell Sasuke that he had no interest in sleeping with him, but that he was interested in the raven's friendship. If Naruto was just a body to fuck, then the asshole could find some other blonde to screw and confuse.

But, on the other hand, if Sasuke had felt the connection, like Naruto had, then he would be compelled to agree with the blonde's terms. And Naruto had a hunch that he would get his way. He began to think about how he would approach Sasuke… preferably without his vampire around. But if needed, he would accommodate the latter.

* * *

Sasuke was sitting on his couch in the living room, his nose buried in a book. "Fuck, why do you read all the time?" Sai whined, stretching his body out on a different couch. Sasuke's living room was as plain and predictable as the rest of the house: dark blue, expensive, tasteful furniture placed just so, no dust anywhere, etc. "It's so boring. Let's try that new position I read in-"

"No." Sasuke cut in tersely and turned his attention back to his book. _He finds reading boring but has no problem indulging in magazines of a pornographic nature._ The raven was thoroughly disgusted. He considered kicking Sai out and calling Karin over if he got horny in the former's absence. Then again, she was just as annoying as Sai.

"… You've been overly rude ever since that blonde came around." Sai narrowed his eyes, scowling. He noticed these things; he was an observer. Since he was young he could barely comprehend human behavior, so he meticulously studied it in the hopes of uncovering the mystery behind humanity. He could have been an excellent psychologist; the problem was, while by now he certainly understood human behavior, he didn't care about humans. That was something that could not be taught in a textbook, unfortunately.

"Excuse me?" Sasuke slammed the book shut and fixed his cold gaze on the paler male. He was beginning to think that Sai was jealous of the dobe, which was ridiculous because there was _nothing_ to be jealous of. What the hell was his problem lately?

"You heard what I fucking said." Sai stood up, inwardly smirking. "Why don't you go fuck him, get it over with, and then call me when you've got your sanity back?" And with that, Sai strolled over to Sasuke's front door, calmly opened it, and found himself face-to-face with a sullen brunette. Sai's eyebrows rose as he took in the youth's appearance. "And who might you be?"

"I'm Uchiha's next door neighbor, Sarutobi Konohamaru. You and the Uchiha have been invited… to our house for an early dinner or whatever." Konohamaru bit out as politely as he could. He couldn't believe that Naruto made him agree to do this!

"Oh, I see! Well, tell him that we'd love to come! What time is dinner?" Sai flashed his signature fake smile. He heard Sasuke getting up off the couch and approaching the door. "Ah, Sasuke! We're having dinner with this young man and his…"

"Guardian." Konohamaru spat out, glaring at Sasuke's nearing form. When the raven finally reached the door and opened his mouth, ready to refuse the invitation, the brunette cut in boldly. "Listen here, Uchiha. I've heard all about you. Naruto may not know about you, but I do. And I swear on my Grandfather's grave, if you hurt him in any way, I'll stick _that_ tree so far up your ass you'll be burping up wood until you fucking die!" The tree he was referring to was a rather large oak tree that was behind his house.

Sasuke couldn't help it; his jaw slightly opened. He wasn't expecting a direct threat from some prepubescent boy. Konohamaru sniffed indignantly, spun on his heel, and stomped back in the direction of his house. "See you in forty minutes!" The boy hollered over his shoulder, not bothering to look back at the stunned males he had left behind.

"Wow. You seem to be pissing everyone off today." Sai remarked, crossing his arms over his chest. Sasuke wordlessly walked back into the living room, sat down on his couch, and starting reading his book again, as if the entire incident hadn't taken place. Sai snorted, shut the front door, and approached the raven.

"Well, aren't you going to get ready?" Sai questioned, barely holding in his glee.

"I'm not going." Sasuke said simply and turned a page in his book.

"Oh, but _I_ am. I want to get to know this blonde you seem to fancy." Sai smirked. "Prior research only goes so far and then, one must observe and assess the object that is under investigation." He was of course, saying these things to provoke Sasuke.

"Stop talking about him like he's a freak!" Sasuke finally lost his temper and threw his book on the floor. He was contemplating murder at this point. _Who would miss him?_

"Well in my eyes, he _is_. You're abnormally defensive and protective when it comes to him. You've only just met him and yet you cannot help but-" Sai broke off as he saw the dangerous look in Sasuke's eyes. "I see. Let us continue this discussion after dinner."

"No. This discussion is over." Sasuke growled out. "And _after dinner_, you can find a ride back to your apartment." The raven stalked back to his room and slammed the door shut, his book forgotten on the ground. Sai walked over to the side of the couch and picked it up off the carpet. It was _Crime and Punishment_ by Fyodor Dostoevsky, a classic, of course.

* * *

Naruto grinned to himself as Konohamaru sighed loudly yet again. The teen was watching TV in the living room, a scowl most likely on his face. His plan had worked out perfectly. Inviting Sasuke and Sai over for dinner sent out the whole "let's just be friends" vibe. In fact, it was more like "Let's be good neighbors and get along!"

The blonde was currently in the kitchen watching his seasoned burgers cook on the mini-grill. He was going to barbeque hamburgers, hotdogs, and salmon on his baby: the Breville Die-Cast Indoor BBQ & Grill. Naruto loved to cook. He had been cooking ever since he was a child. Jiraiya wasn't a bad cook, he just didn't know how to cook that many things and was too lazy to learn. When it came to food, Naruto loved variety and he loved to learn. He would watch cooking shows on TV in the afternoons as a child and copy everything that he saw. And now, he was a fabulous cook.

Naruto didn't spend money on a lot of things, but when it came to food, he went all out. The blonde was a talented cook and therefore made sure he always had the best things in his kitchen. He certainly wasn't a spendthrift. He only used the money Sarutobi left him to pay the bills if he couldn't pay them himself. Naruto planned on paying for Konohamaru's college education with the funds.

When Sarutobi had first passed away in the middle of last November, Naruto had been attending his third year at Konoha University. He was a junior, with an English major and a psychology minor. He had his whole life ahead of him, a whole bunch of dreams to take on and a large group of friends. And then, their mayor had died out of nowhere and Naruto was responsible for a sad thirteen-year-old boy who was so much like himself it scared him.

It had been hard at first. Everyone wanted to know if Konohamaru was going to take his last name, the press was calling him the "little Uzumaki", and it just put unnecessary pressure on an already distraught boy. Naruto had to adjust to having someone depend completely on him. He had always been good at comforting people and taking care of them when they needed him, but Konohamaru needed him every day. It wasn't that he was needy, the teen was very resourceful and strong and self-sufficient. But becoming, in essence, a _parent _literally overnight had been very stressful for the blonde. It was a new situation that took time getting used to.

Naruto had ended up taking the rest of the fall semester off to be with Konohamaru and get used to their new lives together. The newest mayor, Tsunade, had given him a job in her office and for a long time he worked all day while his charge was at school. He typed up proposals and letters of recommendations and notifications and other documents for her. Sometimes he would go out and deliver whatever he had written to whoever it was intended for. Other times he would go the liquor store and buy the older woman some booze. Either way, he was being paid to write and run errands for Tsunade. Besides being an awesome cook, he also happened to be a great writer. And Tsunade certainly knew that and took advantage of it… and paid him rather nicely for his efforts.

Once the spring semester had started, Naruto had continued on attending school part-time and worked with Tsunade less. He still wanted to graduate eventually. The blonde made sure he had classes or work when Konohamaru was in school during the day, so that by the time the brunette came back home, the blonde was usually there waiting for him. He would go to classes on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday and then work Tuesdays and Thursdays and weekends. Sometimes Naruto felt haggard, but he had to make ends meet. He wanted and education and he wanted to be a good role model for Konohamaru and he wanted to be able to provide for the both of them without using Sarutobi's money.

And now, seven months later, it finally seemed like Naruto had his shit together. He had worked hard and it had paid off. While he used to fear the phone bill, the mortgage, the water bill, the car insurance, and whatever else he was paying every damned month, now the blonde was relatively financially comfortable. Konohamaru had pulled his grades up by the end of the year and had successfully graduated from middle school. The two of them had fallen into a secure routine and the bond between them was stronger than ever.

So Naruto planned on enjoying his summer and he firmly believed that he had earned it. He wasn't taking any summer classes. He was only going to work two days a week until he started classes again in August. (Naruto had saved up enough money to make sure their expenses would still be met.) Konohamaru planned on trying out for the soccer team in high school, so Naruto planned on buying a small goal and putting it in the backyard so the boy could practice. But all in all, Naruto was happy with his life. And having Konohamaru around was certainly a blessing in disguise. The boy had filled a void that Naruto didn't even realize existed and he couldn't have been happier.

Naruto sniffed the lovely aroma. His burgers were sizzling on the grill and the smell was so enticing he almost started to drool. He heard Konohamaru crank up the volume in the living room until he could hear the song playing on the TV. The blonde grinned widely as the brunette rushed into the kitchen, gripping the remote as if it was a microphone. As if on cue, Naruto snatched the spatula off the counter and held it close to his mouth. The two males began sing loudly together:

**"I'd build myself up,  
and fly around in circles,  
Wait then as my heart drops,  
and my back begins to tingle  
finally could this be it.**

**Should I give up,  
Or should I just keep chasing pavements?  
Even if it leads nowhere,  
or would it be a waste?  
Even if I knew my place should I leave it there?  
Should I give up,  
or should I just keep chasing pavements?  
Even if it leads nowhere…"**

Naruto and Konohamaru enjoyed their spontaneous duets. Sure, they didn't have spectacular voices, but it was still fun! Well to put it frankly, they enjoyed each other's company. It didn't matter if they were creating their own commentaries while watching TV, being asses at the arcade, doing cannonballs at the pool, or shamelessly flirting with cashiers at the mall. As long as they were together, they could find joy in whatever they were doing. That was a miracle, as some people tried so hard to find happiness and yet, the two of them found joy in mundane things that others overlooked.

* * *

Konohamaru bopped his head to the beat of the song that was playing on the music channel. He was about to return to the kitchen for another impromptu duet with Naruto when the doorbell rang. His dark eyes widened as the blonde hollered at him to get the door. Pale and paler had obviously arrived. The Uchiha and his boyfriend, Sai or whoever the pale dude was. Then again, they were both pretty pale so-

"Konohamaru! The door!" Naruto shouted again and the brunette rolled his eyes. Konohamaru reluctantly got off the couch and went over to the front door.

Konohamaru unlocked the door and opened it. Personally, he was surprised that Sasuke and Sai had even showed up. But they were right there in front of him, waiting to be let in. "Hey. Come on in. Naruto's almost done; I think he's making the salad." The boy moved aside so the two males could come into the house. "You can sit in the living room I guess." He was trying to be polite… but he didn't really like either of them. Sai was creepy, fake, and somewhat unpleasant. The Uchiha was arrogant, rude, and infuriating.

"Thanks again for inviting us!" The paler of the two, Sai, grinned widely at Konohamaru as he walked in. Sai took his shoes off and walked straight past the kitchen and into the living room, without even looking back at Sasuke once. The raven in question hadn't even walked inside the house yet. He was staring Konohamaru down… and the latter was returning his gaze bravely.

"I'm going to be honest with you." Sasuke began as soon as Sai was out of sight. "The only reason why I didn't pulverize your ass or have you arrested for threatening me was because you've already been through enough this year and I figured you didn't need any more media attention. But know this brat: the next time you choose to threaten me you won't be so lucky."

"You don't scare me at all." Konohamaru scoffed, his voice laced with venom. "You can talk big all you want. And know this _Uchiha_: I don't go back on my word. You hurt Naruto and you will pay." And with that, the brunette whirled around and strolled back into the living room, leaving a bewildered Sasuke behind.

Where the hell did that brat get his guts? It had to be from the dobe, because the old mayor had calmed down significantly in his old age, or at least that's what Sasuke had always heard. The raven inwardly snorted as he walked inside, shut the door behind him, and took his shoes off. He walked towards the living room, but took a cautious sniff and his eyes widened. The scent in the air was nothing less than delicious. Instead of walking straight, he turned to the right and walked into the kitchen.

The kitchen was bright, with whites and oranges and open windows and shiny silver appliances strewn about the counter tops. It was messy, yet comfy. There was a wooden table that was near all the windows and it was adorned with silverware, napkins, plates, and empty cups. Sasuke stood in the kitchen, transfixed. It had been a long time since he had been anywhere so warm and welcoming. And it was only a damn kitchen.

"Hey teme!" Naruto finally turned to his visitor, a bright grin on his face. The blonde was standing in front of some expensive-looking silver grill. "The salmon's almost done! Wanna fix everyone's drinks for me?"

"Sure." Sasuke shrugged and made his way over to the fridge. Satisfied, the blonde turned his attention back to his fish. Sasuke stole a quick look at the blonde and the food that surrounded him. Juicy hamburgers and hotdogs had been put in containers to retain their heat. Then there was a huge, glass bowl with a colorful salad inside it. He looked completely at home and in his element. "You like to cook." The raven commented as he finally opened the fridge.

"Hell yeah! KONOHAMARU!!! What do you want to drink??" Sasuke almost covered his ears as Naruto shouted loudly after responding to his remark.

"LEMONADE! AND SAI WANTS WATER!" Konohamaru shouted back just as loudly. The raven rolled his eyes as he quickly fetched both items out of the fridge. If it didn't smell so damn good in the kitchen he would have left at that point.

"Hey teme, can you fix me some orange guava juice? I think it's behind the milk." Naruto snatched the salad bowl off the counter and put it on the wooden table. "Aw shit, where did I put the buns?" Sasuke poured the lemonade into one glass and the water into another. "Oh yeah, you can have whatever you want to drink."

"Hn." The raven answered simply as he returned to the fridge. He scoured through its contents until he found a drink that oddly enough, almost brought a smile to his face: V8 tomato juice. Sasuke then took both juices out of the fridge and shut it. As he was filling his and Naruto's glasses, the blonde put the hamburgers and hotdogs on the table.

"Dinner's ready!!!!!" Naruto yelled out, happily turning the grill off. Another successful meal completed. Konohamaru all but dashed into the kitchen, an eager look on his face. "Yo, where's the buns?" The brunette instantly opened a cupboard next to the fridge, yanked them out, and tossed them to the blonde. "That's the last time I'm letting _you_ unpack the groceries. Go wash your hands!" The teen rolled his eyes but obeyed.

"Why are you cooking Western food?" Sasuke raised an eyebrow at Naruto.

"There aren't any good Western restaurants in Konoha so I watch the cooking channels and I look on the Internet and I just kinda experiment." Naruto shrugged, tossing the raven a lazy smile. Sai sauntered into the kitchen and took at seat at the table.

A few minutes later, all the food was on the table and ready to eat. Konohamaru couldn't help but stare excitedly at it. He was starving! "Let's eat!!!" Naruto threw a fist in the air and the feast began. The four males tore into all the food before them. Even Sasuke couldn't help but overeat… he had never tasted food that good in his entire life and he wasn't even in a restaurant, he was in an idiot's kitchen.

* * *

It was as if Naruto's scrumptious food had lifted some kind of awkward barrier that was between all of them. Konohamaru found himself being more polite to both Sai and Sasuke (although he clearly treated Sai nicer), Sai actually took a break from analyzing the human race and found himself talking for the sake of talking, Sasuke began acting like a civil person, and Naruto was overjoyed that his home was full of satisfied, full people.

The four males had talked about everything, from movies to politics to sports to music to the education system (which in Konohamaru's opinion sucked horribly) all while literally stuffing their faces. Now that the food was mostly gone and their stomachs were bursting, the conversation died down. The euphoria that had covered them was slowly fading away and reality was coming back into the kitchen… as was the awkwardness. Because Sasuke and Sai couldn't stay there forever and despite the fact that Naruto wanted them (well mostly Sasuke) there, they still had a home to go back to. And they would have to go back soon.

"Well… I guess I should put some of these dishes in the sink." Naruto slowly smiled, but he didn't move.

"Thanks for dinner." Sasuke uttered, as if it was hard for him to express gratitude.

"Well, now you have to return the favor! Invite us over for dinner sometime!" Naruto's grin widened.

"Uh… you don't really have to do that." Konohamaru said quickly, earning him a smack in the back of the head from the blonde. "Jeez, I'm gonna get brain damage!"

"I can't cook." Sasuke replied simply, as if this solved everything.

"You can't cook? Then how do you eat? Are you starving? Does Sai cook for you?" Naruto couldn't help but be curious. He just wanted to _know_ about Sasuke.

"Dobe, I _can_ cook. I just can't cook as well as you. There'd be no point in inviting you over for dinner." Sasuke inwardly rolled his eyes. _Asking so many questions…_

"Oooh… ok. We'll just have to do something else then." Naruto shrugged, turning to Sai. "Got any ideas? What's he good at?"

Sai, however, was in shock. Uchiha Sasuke, never, never admitted that someone was _better_ than him at something, even something as mediocre and simple as cooking. And to make matters worse, the raven didn't even seem to notice his mistake. The raven was usually stoic and steadfast in behavior and rarely changed it. Come to think of it, Sasuke had _complemented_ Naruto, something that was also odd. The raven rarely acknowledged anyone or their talents, so why his? Why was Naruto treated so differently than everyone else? It was beginning to bother Sai, bother him deeply. He found himself analyzing again.

"I wouldn't know." Sai pretended as if he had been thinking about Sasuke's talents. "He is very good in bed though I'm not sure you'd-" Konohamaru burst out laughing as Naruto tried to cover his ears. "Oh, forgive me. I forgot about the minor."

"My name is-" Konohamaru began angrily, but Naruto put a hand on his shoulder.

"It's inappropriate to talk about sex at a dinner table, regardless of the age of the people around you. The fact is, you're a guest in my house, and as a _guest_ there is a certain etiquette you should abide by." Naruto narrowed his blue eyes at Sai. He didn't mean to be abrupt, but he was getting fed up with Sai's behavior. This _was_ his house, after all. Sasuke raised his eyebrow at the ferocity behind the blonde's calm tone.

"Yeah and it's called polite conversation!" Konohamaru stuck his tongue out at Sai. "You can't be blunt and rude and insensitive."

"Well, wasn't the statement being used to describe my behavior 'blunt, rude, and insensitive'? It is quite contradictory to criticize my-" Sai began, finding it much easier to argue with the teen than with Naruto. He found the boy's unpredictability yet another annoying factor about him. That and the fact that he was clearly intelligent.

"I think it's time to go." Sasuke stood up, trying to diffuse the argumentative atmosphere. Sai snorted and got up with him. "Thanks again for dinner."

"No problem." Naruto growled out, his blue eyes fixed on Sai's face. Sasuke inwardly rolled his eyes and walked out of the kitchen, towards the front door, Sai following close behind.

"Well that ruined the mood." Konohamaru sniffed and stood up. "I guess I'll do the dishes. And don't worry about Sai… who cares about him? At least the Uchiha was nice." Naruto found his anger fading away at Konohamaru's words. The boy was right.

* * *

**Haha and that's it for now. I'm on spring break so I have time to update and write. I'm gonna work on my other story, Prediction of the Pink and post a new chapter this week too. Hope u liked it!! I'd appreciate any questions, comments, or corrections lol :)**

**P.s. I saw Watchmen last night with my best friend. Yet another amazing, thought-provoking movie. It was soo good!!!!  
**


End file.
